Danish postal service to stop delivering letters after 400 years

Denmark’s postal service will deliver its last letter on 30 December, ending over 400 years of traditional mail delivery. PostNord, which was formed in 2009 after a Danish-Swedish merger, said the decision was due to the “increasing digitalization” of the country, which caused a drastic drop in letter usage.

The company will cut 1,500 jobs and remove 1,500 red postboxes. Many of these postboxes were quickly sold at auctions, with prices ranging from 1,500 to 2,000 DKK (£176–£235). PostNord will continue delivering letters in Sweden and will refund unused Danish stamps for a limited time.

Danes can still send letters using the company Dao, which will expand its service from 30 million letters in 2025 to 80 million next year. However, customers must either go to Dao shops, pay extra for home collection, and handle postage online or via an app.

Letter-sending in Denmark has dropped more than 90% over the past 25 years, but research suggests younger people (ages 18–34) are sending more letters as a way to escape digital overload. Physical letters are now considered valuable, as writing by hand shows time and effort.

PostNord said the decision was difficult because of its long history. Today, most official communications are sent digitally through Denmark’s MitID system, with 97% of adults enrolled. The public has largely accepted the change, but the end of traditional mail marks the close of a major chapter in Denmark’s postal history.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/21/denmark-postnord-postal-delivery-letters-society

Comprehension

When will Denmark deliver its last postal letter?
Why did PostNord decide to stop delivering letters?
How will people in Denmark still be able to send letters after PostNord stops?
Which age group is sending more letters despite digitalization, and why?
What digital system has replaced most official communications in Denmark?

Discussion

Do you think digital communication is better than sending letters? Why or why not?
How do you feel about the end of a 400-year-old tradition like Denmark’s postal service?
Why might physical letters be considered more valuable today?
Could other countries face a similar decline in letter-sending? How?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of government communication being mostly digital?

Vocabulary

Digitalization – the process of using computers and the internet instead of paper or traditional methods.
Auction – a public sale where items are sold to the highest bidder.
Postal service – a system for sending letters and packages.
Decline – a decrease or reduction in something.
Tradition – a practice or custom passed down over time.